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ALmom
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| Posted: Oct 31 2006 at 12:44pm | IP Logged
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Does anyone have recommendations for modern American composers who are still living that are not writing atonal music?
Janet
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Helen
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| Posted: Nov 01 2006 at 5:20pm | IP Logged
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ALmom wrote:
not writing atonal music?
Janet |
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Dear Janet,
What is "atonal" music?
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ALmom
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| Posted: Nov 02 2006 at 12:11am | IP Logged
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Helen:
Atonal music, as best I can piece together from my extremely limited exposure, (and MacBeth may need to correct me) and with my laymans understanding is music that does not sound musical - is full of dissonance. In my opinion it sounds atrocious. Anyways, my dd has been searching for some music to play for a competition and so far has come up with the best of the worst - but the requirement is that it be by a modern American composer who is still living. She played some of it for me last time I saw her, and said she'll just have to force herself to practice it unless she can find something better very soon. I'm not sure when her competition is - and at least this is not the only piece she will be playing. At this point she just has to play what she has found - and her professor has told her she will not find anything better so maybe there aren't any modern American composers composing musical sounding stuff. But it would be nice to have better selections in the future. I thought some of you might know some composers names to look into. We really don't care what kind of style as long as it does sound musical.
Janet
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: Nov 02 2006 at 5:25am | IP Logged
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What about Eric Genuis? Does he fall in this category?
Becky
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Carole N.
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Janet:
Are you refering to the competition sponsored by the National Federation of Music Clubs? If you are then there is a booklet that is published every three years that lists the pieces the students may choose from for their required piece.
We were expecting a new booklet this year. However, one was not published, so the students must choose from the old booklet. They are modern American composers, and unfortunately, Eric Genuis is not one that has been included in the past.
There is a choice piece, however. My children have played everything from Bach to contemporary. Maybe she could find something a little more musical for this piece.
Good luck and I hope she does well.
Carole N.
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MacBeth
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| Posted: Nov 02 2006 at 11:19am | IP Logged
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Try the music of Behzad Ranjbaran. He's Libby's theory teacher (we have known him for years--since she was three), and his music is lovely. He was born in Iran, but is very American now  . His cello concerto is beautiful, as is his Persian trilogy. He has a violin concerto, but I do not know if it has been recorded officially yet, though it was the competition piece last year at Juilliard.
On the "modern" front, I think that what Janet is talking about is demonstrated by this 12-tone MP3 joke commercial (totally worth hearing for the laugh).
But in general, IMHO, dissonance is a mixed bag. Even Mozart wrote a "dissonant" quartet. It can be lovely, or it can be dreadful.
I like Philip Glass for a more minimalist feeling.
Of course, Copeland, Bernstein, Gershwin are all fun...
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MacBeth
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| Posted: Nov 02 2006 at 11:22am | IP Logged
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MacBeth wrote:
| Of course, Copeland, Bernstein, Gershwin are all fun... |
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OOps! I missed the "still living" requirement! 
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MacBeth in NY
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ALmom
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| Posted: Nov 02 2006 at 6:23pm | IP Logged
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MacBeth:
Does Behzad Ranijbaran compose for the piano? As I've said many times before, all this music is very new to me. (I'm attempting to learn a bit of violin - goal is Twinkle now that my 6 yo is taking but I have trouble with every aspect from recognizing pieces I've heard, to recognizing wrong notes to inability to clap in time or keep a rythym - I am very musically handicapped).
Someone asked about the competition - I have no idea what it is called , just that it is at the college level and it may be internal to her music school or it may be more extensive. I don't know. I just know that she and another music major have been depleting the music library of all kinds of stuff - and hitting the music stores looking for something they like and having a horrible time of it. The competetion name sounds like one she opted not to do in high school because she couldn't stand the choices in music. Her high school teacher let her opt out - don't think college professors would  and I guess it is time to expand her horizons a bit.
Yes, MacBeth, there are plenty of modern American composers to chose from - if they could be deceased! We don't mind modern music as long as it is still musical and not too far out (no John Gage here!). So far what she is finding really sounds hideous - her description is that you have to work really hard to make it sound that bad.
So, can some atonal music sound musical? It seems this is what a lot of composition courses are teaching now - do the big conservatories teach composing in more traditional styles? I don't get to ask my dd these questions anymore since she is away - and busier than a bee right now (orchestra concert this Sat. (she is playing violin in this one) and her convocation and other stuff for her major (piano). Organ has pretty much gone by the wayside until summer  but there just isn't time for it all.
Janet
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MacBeth
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| Posted: Nov 02 2006 at 7:37pm | IP Logged
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Hmmm...I'll check with Behzad on Saturday about Piano piece. I'm sure there's one.
Some other composers (I almost wrote composters  ) who study and teach/taught at Juilliard: Mathew Fuerst, Eric Sessler, Jefferson Friedman (hailed as one of the greatest composers born in 1974 ). Yes, at Juilliard, they are teaching traditional composition, though there are plenty of more radical composers.
I was not sure that you were looking for piano pieces. Is Philip Glass too radical?
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MacBeth
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| Posted: Nov 02 2006 at 8:02pm | IP Logged
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The topic of music competitions is always a bit charged. NY has its own--NYSSMA (for years I thought it was a Jewish holiday, as many music teachers are Jewish, and they were always talking about missing classes for "NYSSMA" ). We have never done the NYSSMA evaluation/competition, but Trip will have to this year as it is required for high school. Part of me says they are a waste of time, and part of me sees that, for the right student, they help one to progress. And then, they also help to prepare one for auditions... 
The conservatories have their own competitions (in house, as you were describing), and the audition requirements for some conservatories include "modern" composers. Juilliard want a piece written since 1939. Yikes! Because Libby will be auditioning on violin, I was thinking about Behzad's music.
I hope your dd can find something she likes to play, as that makes a big difference in how a musician plays. And I hope she plays well!!
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ALmom
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| Posted: Nov 03 2006 at 1:21am | IP Logged
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Thanks MacBeth! To be honest, I don't even know who Philip Glass is - but will pass the name on to dd (as well as the others you mentioned), she may have heard of them, I'm just extremely ignorant and trying to learn. Thanks for the suggestions - and well wishes. I don't even know when the competition is - but the requirements sound similiar to the in house one you are describing - American composer who composed after a certain date and is still living. She had a few ideas until that still living part of the requirements reared up! I'll print a list of names and the information about traditional composition that you sent. That is encouraging.
My dd was interested in taking some composition courses - but at the music school where she is at, it is all atonal composition so she will probably not be taking these. Glad to know that the conservatories are still teaching traditional composition. Maybe it is just what is being offered this semester and more choices will be available next semester.
Yes, dd is focusing more and more on piano - that is where she does 5- 6 hours of practice. She is trying to keep up with violin by playing in the orchestra and if her primary prof. will allow it, she will take private lessons on a secondary (violin) with a teacher who really understands her priorities and would love to teach her (probably, realistically not being able to practice more than 1 hour per day on this one and not too much stress on the memorization here). We'll see what happens - you really have to be careful not to get in between faculty feuds and turf wars. So hopefully this prof and her piano prof are on good terms with one another and that should make it easier. The organ prof that wanted my dd to double major and her piano prof are real enemies now .
Evidently, she was not permitted to take any lessons in any other instrument in the first semester, so we'll see now that dd has proved herself capable of keeping up with studies and piano if she will get the needed permission. She started violin very late (at 13) so she isn't striving to be soloist on this - she just wants to keep getting better, play in an orchestra and maybe audition for one of the other more competitive orchestras that doesn't conflict with her piano schedule and she absolutely loves chamber (collaberative music)- playing either piano or violin. Piano is the instrument that she would love to win a concerto competition and play solo with an orchestra - pretty stiff competition here, so we'll see - but she loves so many other things like accompanying, chamber, etc. that she will be fine.
Anyways, thanks for being so kind with all the wealth of information you have - in the heart of a number of the major conservatories.
Janet
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4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: modern American composers
